Loaded Baked Potato Rounds

Colette at art intensive program, coming home inspired, BBQ shrimp. Summer in full bloom, the kind of heat that makes you question everything except the quality of the food on the table and the cold beer in your hand. The kids are in their summer shapes: Colette drawing and painting with the intensity of someone who sees the world as a canvas and refuses to leave any part of it unfinished. Rémy in the kitchen, in the bayou, in the drainage ditch (still no fish there — eighth year of commitment to a fishless ditch, which is either persistence or insanity, and in the Beaumont family, those are the same thing).

The food was summer food — light where it could be, heavy where it wanted to be, and always, always, with the cayenne and the garlic and the holy trinity that makes everything in this kitchen Cajun regardless of origin. The meal was the day. The day was the meal. And both were good. C\'est bon.

When the heat sits on you like that and the kids are scattered between art projects and drainage ditches, you need something on the table that’s simple to throw together but heavy enough to hold its own next to the shrimp. These loaded potato rounds were exactly that — crispy little platforms for all the good stuff, the kind of thing you set out and watch disappear before anyone thinks to sit down. Cayenne on everything, obviously.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients

2 pounds russet potatoes (about 4 medium), scrubbed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Instructions

Preheat and prep. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Slice the potatoes. Cut potatoes into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Toss in a bowl with olive oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
Arrange and bake. Lay potato rounds in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip each round and bake another 10 minutes until golden and crispy on the edges.
Load them up. Remove from oven and top each round with a pinch of shredded cheddar cheese. Return to the oven for 2–3 minutes, just until the cheese melts.
Finish and serve. Transfer to a serving platter. Top each round with a small dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of crumbled bacon, and chopped chives. Serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Loaded Baked Potato Rounds — Summer Heat and the Food That Holds You Steady